Falcons allowance: Lawmakers demand evidence from NFF

August 24, 2023

House adhoc committee says the Nigeria Football Federation should furnish it with meticulous and comprehensive documentation that outlines the financial support extended to the Super Falcons for their involvement in the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

This documentation according to the Chairperson, Blessing Onu, should encompass a breakdown of all match bonus payments, leaving no detail unaccounted for.

Furthermore, she said NFF was to provide precise records, valid receipts, and individual payment slips for all 23 players and members of the coaching staff no later than August 30.

Ibrahim Gusau, President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) had told the committee that all match bonuses and allowances for the Super Falcons have been paid.

When the ad-hoc further made inquiries regarding unpaid allowances for the 2019 FIFA women’s world cup, Mr Gusau explained that no funding was released for participation but revealed that in the 2023 FiFA Women’s World Cup hosted by australia and New Zealand $960,000 was given to all 32 countries that qualified.

The NFF President, Mr disclosed this, when he appeared before the House ad-hoc committee set up to investigate the dispute between the Super Falcons and the NFF.

According to him, the preparation money provided by FIFA was to be used by the countries to prepare the teams for the world cup.

The NFF President added that no fund was provided by the federal government for its staff and officials, rather the federation gets its operational cost from FIFA and CAF.

“The Confederation of African Football (CAF) provides $250,000 per annum as subvention fund”, said the NFF President. “We can’t use this money to pay outstanding allowances for 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup,” he said.

House ad-hoc committee was set up to investigate the dispute between the Super Falcons and the NFF.

Reporting by Ibrahim Shehu, Editing by Omolola Ameen and Annabel Nwachukwu

Nigerians have taken to social media to react after Super Falcons star, Michelle Alozie, shared a photo of herself with music sensation Davido.

Alozie was part of the Nigerian team that featured at the just concluded FIFA Women’s World Cup, co-hosted by australia and New Zealand.

She played a vital part for Randy Waldrum’s girls, who reached the second round of the tournament before the Three Lionesses of England knocked them out via a penalty shootout.

The Houston Dash star was born in Apple Valley, California, to Nigerian parents and opted to play professional football for her fatherland, Tribune reports.

She recently met Davido and gifted the ‘Unavailable’ crooner a signed shirt, the subsequent photo of which has gotten football fans buzzing.

One said:

“Alozie, I abeg o. Olympic dey next year o. I no won hear say u are ‘unavailable’.”

Another added:

“I reject any spirit of Baby Mama on you sweetheart, it's not your portion.”

A fan wrote:

“Wow. This is nice. When stars align we see nice things such as this.”

Another cautioned:

“We no wan hear anything after months ooo.

From her collegiate endeavours to her professional career, Michelle Alozie has consistently been a standout performer.

Her commitment on the pitch has seen her progress from the college leagues to internationally acclaimed tournaments with the Nigerian Women's National Team and in the club leagues.

Super Falcons: FIFA ranks Nigeria 10th best team at 2023 Women's World Cup


According to FIFA, the Super Falcons of Nigeria finished 10th out of 32 teams at the 2023 Women's World Cup.
The 2023 Women's World Cup tournament came to an end on Sunday, August 20, 2023.

Spain recorded a 1-0 victory against the Lionesses of England in the final to lift their first title.

It was a history-making moment for Spain, as they became the second country to win the Men's and Women's World Cups.

FIFA ranks Super Falcons 10th at Women's World Cup
World Football governing body FIFA, after the conclusion of the tournament, has now ranked the teams.


The teams are ranked based on their performance at the tournament, but there is a twist.

Teams that were eliminated at the same stage are ranked based on the way they were knocked out.

The Super Falcons, according to the list provided by Fox Soccer, are ranked in 10th place.

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It is a stunning accomplishment, as they are behind the United States of America (USA) and the highest among the African participants.

The Super Falcons played four games at the World Cup, starting off with a goalless draw against Olympic Champions Canada.

They then shocked tournament co-hosts australia 3-2 in their second game before another goalless draw against the Republic of Ireland.

The Super Falcons of Nigeria got to the round of the 16 at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup (Photo Credit: FIFAWWC/X)

The Super Falcons of Nigeria got to the round of the 16 at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup (Photo Credit: FIFAWWC/X)

In the round of 16, the Super Falcons proved to be the toughest opponent for the Lionesses on their way to the final.

They stifled the reigning European champions to a goalless affair after 120 minutes of football, only to lose on penalties.

The Super Falcons and the USA both crashed out in the round of 16, but the former champions are ranked ahead of Nigeria based on their goal difference and missed just one of their spot kicks in the loss to Sweden.

The USA are ninth, and the Super Falcons of Nigeria complete the top 10 at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup (Fox Soccer)


The top 10 teams in the World Cup include Spain at one, England at two, Sweden at three, and australia at four.

To complete the list of the best teams, Japan is fifth, France is sixth, the Netherlands is seventh, and Colombia is eighth.

The USA are ninth, and the Super Falcons of Nigeria complete the top 10.


The Super Falcons are the highest-ranked team from Africa in the tournament.

Morocco are ranked 12th, reigning African champion South Africa are 16th, and Zambia are 25th.

Some members of the Super Falcons have returned to the country, while others, such as Michelle Alozie and Uchenna Kanu, have returned to their respective clubs.

SYDNEY, Aug 20 (Reuters) - Spain defeated England 1-0 in the final of the Women's World Cup on Sunday, capping off a tournament that has broken attendance and TV records and raised hopes of a surge in interest for the women's game.

Co-hosted by australia and New Zealand, the ninth edition of the global showpiece event was the first to be held in the southern hemisphere.

While local interest ebbed when australia exited in the semi-finals, just shy of two million fans will have passed through the gates in nine host cities after Sunday's final crowd of 75,784 is added to the tally.

An Olga Carmona goal was the difference between the two sides in a pulsating game that saw Spain create the majority of the clear-cut chances.

Thousands of fans milled around Stadium australia in Sydney hours before kick-off on Sunday, with troupes of drummers and stilt walkers creating a festival atmosphere.

England and Spain were both making their first appearance at a Women's World Cup final, while England's wait for a first trophy since the men's tournament in 1966 goes on.

australia's semi-final loss to England on Wednesday drew an average of 7.13 million viewers on the channels of local broadcaster Seven Network, the highest viewership ever recorded by research firm OzTAM, which launched in 2001.

Matildas matches sold out months in advance, and organisers expect the average attendance to overtake 30,000 once all 64 matches are completed.

The last Women's World Cup in France four years ago attracted more than 1.1. million fans to 52 matches with an average crowd of 21,756.

Demand was weaker in New Zealand, whose team went out in the group stages. FIFA gave away thousands of tickets and some games attracted as few as 7,000 fans, although White Ferns matches broke records for a soccer crowd in the country.

FUNDING GAP

australia's players, who lost 2-0 in a third-place playoff match to Sweden on Saturday, will earn $165,000 each in prize money for this tournament, more than 300 times the A$750 ($480) they received for a quarter-final appearance in 2015.

Following reactions from fans online slamming the Nigeria Football Federation after just three members out of the 23-woman Super Falcons were received by the wife of the President, Remi Tinubu, on Monday in Abuja, a top official of the NFF told The PUNCH that the body’s General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi told players and officials that the Presidency asked that the team list be “trimmed down.”

The Falcons crashed out of the ongoing Women’s World Cup in australia and New Zealand with heads held high after losing to England on penalties following a thrilling 120 minutes in the round of 16.

The 11-time Africa champions were the better sides of the two teams but were unlucky not to get to the quarter-finals of the tournament after Desire Oparanozie and Michelle Alozie missed from the spot.

Despite crashing out of the World Cup President Bola Tinubu and his wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, commended the Falcons, with the First Lady adding that she would host the team on their arrival in the country.

She kept to her promise, but surprisingly only three members of the team were received by the Presidency, raising eyebrows among fans who watched the Falcons put up one of the finest performances at the women’s football showpiece tournament.

Our correspondent learnt Mrs Tinubu gifted each player $10,000, while officials got $2,500 each.

A photo posted on the NFF Twitter handle on Monday had the wife of the President, wife of the Vice President, Hajia Nana Shettima, wife of the Senate President, Ekaette Akpabio, NFF president Ibrahim Gusau; NFF 1st VP, Felix Anyansi-Agwu and the NFF General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi, with Falcons captain Onome Ebi, Christy Ucheibe and Tochukwu Oluehi.

Reacting to the post, Nnaji Obed Asiegbu wrote, “You are very unfair. Hosted only three players. Where are the other players and technical crew? This is ridiculous and I feel embarrassed to see Mr Felix joining to perpetuate this act of wickedness. It shows no organisation. The team is supposed to be arranged by the NFF to return to Nigeria officially then their return to their bases also to be sponsored. It’s a national assignment.”

Frank Obisike rhetorically asked, “Are these the full squad? Or it’s only three girls that went to the competition?”

“Shame won’t allow you people to post this rubbish, go and see how the Ireland team was welcomed. You are welcoming three players that already have their tickets paid for by FIFA? Why didn’t you pay for all the players to touch down in Abuja first?” Ezechukwuka wrote.”

Also wondering why only three players were received Akpati Nshiegbe equally asked, “@thenff why do we have only three players in attendance?”

Another fan with the username Shezzy wrote, “Why does it look like the players selected by the NFF are the ones loyal to them?”

However, it was learnt that an original list that had 21 names — four players, nine backroom staff and eight sports ministry and NFF officials — for the visit to the Villa was trimmed down to just six players and officials on the order of Sanusi.

An aggrieved senior official of the NFF told The PUNCH he was among those listed, but later omitted for the reception, adding that the federation left out some players for fear that they would “leak out some secrets.”

“I was surprisingly left out too,” our source, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of being victimised, told The PUNCH.

“The First Lady said she would host the team, but suddenly we heard stories that the Presidency said the team that will attend the reception should be trimmed down. They (NFF) know that the players are aggrieved and will talk and leak out some secrets. The original list had most of the backroom staff but after some days, the GS (General Secretary) sent a message to Amina Daura (Head of Women’s Football, NFF) that they want only him, Anyansi and Gusau with just five players.

“Then after the First Lady received them, they were told to write down the names of the remaining members of the team who were not at the event, and their account details, but Sanusi told them to write down the names of only the players, leaving out other backroom staff members who were not at the ceremony. When the names of the other players shortlisted for the reception Glory Ogbonna and Nnadozie, who were absent, were announced, Sanusi went to collect their money but he was told they won’t deal with him or any other person except the team captain Onome Ebi.”

The PUNCH contacted two backroom staff members who were absent at the ceremony, but both said they’ve not been asked to submit their account details, while a player, who flew back to her base from australia, said she had been told to send her details.

A senior Falcons player said the exclusion of some players from the reception was a reflection of how Sanusi handled the team’s matters.

“Some of the players are around. Why didn’t they go to Abuja? Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State received Rasheedat Ajibade and Rofiat Imuran, why were they not in Abuja? Asisat Oshoala, Gift Monday and Ajibade were also hosted by the Lagos Governor. Were they in Abuja? The Imo State Governor also held a reception for Desire Oparanozie, Chiamaka Nnadozie, Osinachi Ohale and Tochi Oluehi, who went for the reception in Abuja. Why was Desire, Nnadozie and Ohale not in Abuja?”

She added that the players had lost confidence in how the General Secretary managed issues concerning them.

“He had a meeting with us on one of our trips and told us — support staff, players coaches and Randy were there — that ‘if you think you are in the national team to make money, you better step down.’ But it’s this same man that collects his estacode steadily, he collected $600 per night at the World Cup while the players got $100 and its him saying this to people who left their families for months. Are they there to play? During (Amaju) Pinnick’s time, we were paid $5,000 win bonuses but GS told us we would be paid $3,000 in australia. How do you think the girls will be happy? And the man feels he is doing the girls some favour.”

The PUNCH reported last month that shortly before the Nigerian contingent departed Abuja for australia July 2, Sanusi, during a meeting with the players, told them that they would not be paid their $3,000 match bonuses by the federation, since FIFA had already announced that every player would get $30,000 in the group stage of the tournament in australia and New Zealand.

The PUNCH was told that he also announced that the players would no longer be given 30 per cent from the $1,560,000 FIFA grant to all member associations for the group stage of the competition.

Efforts by our correspondent to reach the NFF General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi to comment on the issue proved abortive.

Sanusi didn’t pick his calls at about 1:57pm and 3:38pm on Tuesday and Wednesday respectively, and he also didn’t respond to messages sent to his WhatsApp at exactly 2pm on Tuesday and 3:45pm on Wednesday.

However, NFF spokesman Ademola Olajire, who The PUNCH learnt was also on the list to the Villa but had his name removed, said only three players were available for the reception.

“Only three players were available. What’s difficult to understand in that, and where’s the negative slant?,” Olajire told The PUNCH.

“It’s time for pre-season activities for clubs ahead of the season, and most of them left immediately on arrival. The US-based girls flew directly from australia to the USA.”

"Although the final result did not go our way, I am here to remind you the the victory is not solely determined by the score on the field. The unbreakable spirit and unity that you demonstrated are true markers of success". "You gave your all, we stand with you and we are so proud of you". Words of encouragement and support from the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria senator Oluremi Tinubu CON as she welcomes home the Super falcons from australia